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Former Mayor Henry Cisneros says San Antonio has reinforced its spirit of inclusion with… more

Donna J. Tuttle

Former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros has a strong grasp of history. He believes the decision by San Antonio’s City Council to elect Ivy Taylor as interim mayor on Tuesday, reinforces the fact that this community has continued to take bold chances and practice real political inclusion that has opened up new opportunities for people in this region.

Cisneros should know as well as anyone the opportunities afforded people of different ethnicities in San Antonio. In 1981, he was one of the first Latinos to be elected mayor of a major American city.

Former Mayor Henry Cisneros says San Antonio has reinforced its spirit of inclusion with… more

Donna J. Tuttle

“The decision by our City Council to select Ivy Taylor to become Mayor of San Antonio for the next year underscores once again San Antonio’s place as one of the most inclusive and fair-minded cities in America,” Cisneros says. “It demonstrates that people of all backgrounds and heritages can aspire to the highest positions in our city and be judged fairly by their peers on their abilities, contributions, and leadership.”

Cisneros says he believes San Antonio is the largest U.S. city to elect an African American female as mayor.

Taylor is the first African American of either gender to be elected mayor of the Alamo City.

“This is a great and historic day which we can all celebrate together for our city,” Cisneros says.

Taylor replaces Julian Castro, who has resigned with time left on his mayoral term to serve as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama administration.

In January, President Obama unveiled plans for a comprehensive Promise Zone initiative aimed at lifting up some of the nation’s poorest neighborhoods — including some of the same East San Antonio areas Taylor has represented on City Council.

Taylor, who was initially elected to City Council in 2009 and was re-elected to serve a third term in May 2013, previously worked for the City of San Antonio’s Housing and Community Development Department. She has described the Promise Zone initiative as a “comprehensive revitalization.”